Yukari stood in front of the guild's mission board, arms crossed, eyes scanning the various requests. Most of them seemed straightforward, nothing too exciting or dangerous, which made sense for a beginner like her. She sighed, feeling a mix of anticipation and boredom. After all the talk about how exciting missions could be, she was about to embark on her first one… with her mother.
Gray, who had joined her at the board, pointed to one of the simpler missions. "This one seems easy enough. Deliver some supplies to a village just outside Magnolia. Should be a piece of cake for you."
Yukari nodded. "Yeah, it looks alright. Not exactly thrilling, but a good place to start."
Before she could take the mission poster off the board, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Not so fast, kid."
Yukari groaned internally. Hinote was standing behind her, arms folded, a smirk plastered on her face. "You didn't think I'd let you go off on your first mission without me, did you?"
Gray chuckled. "I'll leave you two to it. Good luck, Yukari. You're going to need it."
Yukari shot him a glare as he walked away, leaving her alone with Hinote. "Do I really need you babysitting me on a D-rank mission?"
Hinote raised an eyebrow, looking more amused than offended. "Babysitting? I prefer the term 'supervising.' And yes, you need me there. I'm your mother now, remember? First mission is a big deal, and it's only right that I'm there to make sure you don't blow the village up."
Yukari threw her hands up in exasperation. "It's a delivery mission! How could I possibly blow anything up?"
Hinote shrugged casually. "With you? Anything's possible. Plus, I want to see this 'legendary first mission' of yours. Think of it as a bonding experience."
Yukari rubbed her temples, already feeling the stress rising. "Great. Just what I needed."
A couple of hours later, Yukari found herself walking alongside Hinote, a large cart full of supplies in tow. The village they were heading to was only a few hours away, but it already felt like the longest journey of her life. Hinote, of course, was chatting away like this was a casual stroll, while Yukari tried to mentally prepare herself for whatever this "bonding experience" would bring.
"So," Hinote said, her voice annoyingly cheerful, "how does it feel? First mission, the open road, the wind in your hair…"
Yukari shot her a sideways glance. "It feels like I'm dragging a cart full of vegetables through the countryside."
Hinote laughed. "Ah, that's the spirit! Gotta love the humble beginnings. Just think, one day you'll be taking on S-Class missions, fighting dragons, and saving the world. But for now, carrots."
Yukari sighed. "Why do you have to make everything sound so… epic?"
"Because it is, kid. Every mission is part of your journey, no matter how small or boring. Besides, don't you feel the excitement in the air? The thrill of the unknown?"
Yukari raised an eyebrow. "We're delivering supplies. The only thing unknown here is whether or not the cart's going to break."
Hinote smirked. "You'd be surprised. Anything can happen on a mission, no matter how simple it seems."
Yukari snorted. "Yeah, sure. Next thing you know, we'll get attacked by wild chickens or something."
Hinote chuckled. "Hey, don't underestimate chickens. They're vicious little things."
Yukari was about to respond with another sarcastic remark when she noticed something up ahead. A group of travelers, probably merchants, were approaching them on the road, leading their own cart. As they passed by, one of the men gave Yukari and Hinote a curious glance before stopping.
"Hey," the man said, pointing at the cart. "You two heading to Reberu Village?"
Yukari nodded. "Yeah, we've got supplies to deliver."
The man grinned. "Good luck with that. The bridge on the main road collapsed yesterday. You'll have to take the long way around if you want to get there."
Yukari's face fell. "You're kidding, right?"
The man shook his head. "Afraid not. You'll lose a couple of hours, at least."
Yukari groaned. "Great. Just great."
Hinote, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed. "Thanks for the heads-up, pal. We'll manage."
The man nodded and continued on his way, leaving Yukari staring at the cart with a sinking feeling in her stomach. "So… what now? Do we really have to go the long way around?"
Hinote shrugged, completely unconcerned. "Of course. It's all part of the adventure."
Yukari sighed, grabbing the handle of the cart and pulling it along again. "I'm starting to regret this whole 'first mission' thing."
Hinote grinned. "Regret? Nah, you'll be fine. Just think of it as extra training."
Yukari muttered something under her breath, but kept walking. As they veered off the main road and onto the detour, the path became rougher, and the cart wheels occasionally hit bumps and rocks, making the whole journey even more frustrating.
"So," Hinote said, breaking the silence, "since we've got some extra time, let's talk strategy."
Yukari raised an eyebrow. "Strategy? For delivering vegetables?"
"Not just vegetables," Hinote said with a grin. "It's about how you approach any mission. You've got to think ahead, plan for the unexpected. Like that bridge being out what's your backup plan?"
Yukari thought for a moment. "Well, I guess we could try to find another path or ask for help if needed."
Hinote nodded approvingly. "Good. You're thinking on your feet. Now, what if we run into bandits?"
Yukari rolled her eyes. "Bandits? Seriously?"
"Hey, you never know," Hinote said, her tone still playful but with an edge of seriousness. "A lot of missions might seem simple, but danger can pop up when you least expect it. You have to be ready for anything."
Yukari sighed. "Alright, fine. If we run into bandits, I'll… try not to burn everything down."
Hinote laughed. "That's a start. Just remember, not every problem can be solved by fire. Sometimes you need to use your head."
Yukari grumbled, pulling the cart with renewed effort. "Yeah, yeah. I'll keep that in mind."
They continued walking in silence for a while, the sound of the cart's wheels creaking over the uneven road filling the air. Yukari was starting to get lost in her thoughts when Hinote spoke again.
"By the way," Hinote said casually, "you're doing a pretty good job so far."
Yukari blinked, caught off guard by the sudden compliment. "Uh… thanks?"
Hinote smirked. "Don't get used to it. I'm still going to give you a hard time, but you've got potential, kid. I can see why the old man was interested in you."
Yukari felt a strange warmth in her chest at Hinote's words, though she quickly tried to shake it off. "Well, don't get all sappy on me now. We've still got a long way to go."
Hinote laughed. "Don't worry. I've got plenty of insults left for you. But seriously, you've got what it takes. Just don't blow anything up until we actually finish the mission, alright?"
Yukari smirked. "No promises."
As the afternoon wore on, the path grew even rougher, and Yukari could feel her patience wearing thin. Every bump in the road felt like another test of her endurance, and she was ready to snap. Hinote, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed, her usual smug grin never leaving her face.
"So," Hinote said, looking at the increasingly gloomy sky, "what do you think? First mission going well so far?"
Yukari glared at her. "If by 'well,' you mean frustrating and unnecessarily long, then sure, it's going great."
Hinote laughed. "Ah, you'll look back on this and laugh one day. First missions are always a bit rough. But hey, you're not dead yet, so that's a win."
Yukari groaned. "Thanks for the encouragement."
"Anytime, kid."